Front panel for a drawer

ABSTRACT

The front panel comprises two retaining parts ( 4 ) which are fastened with mutual spacing to the inner side ( 13 ) of said panel and which can each be coupled with a support part arranged in a drawer frame. The retaining parts ( 4 ) are each provided at a foot end ( 6 ) with a laterally projecting adapter plate ( 9 ) which is fastened to the inner side ( 13 ) of a glass panel ( 2 ) by means of an adhesive ( 12 ). The adhesive ( 12 ) forms, on an underside ( 11 ) of the adapter plate ( 9 ), a layer which is connected with planar contact to the inner side ( 13 ) of the glass panel ( 2 ).

The invention relates to a front panel for a drawer, comprising two retaining parts which are fastened with mutual spacing to the inner side of said panel and which can each be coupled with a support part arranged in a drawer frame.

Front panels of this type are known in the prior art, for example from EP-A-0 636 327 and BP-A-0 267 477. Such panels can be fastened to the drawer frame in a simple manner and released again using a tool. The retaining parts are produced, for example, by die casting and fastened by dowels to the inner side of the front panel. The dowels require corresponding holes in the inner side of the front panel, which is made of wood or metal. In the assembled state, the drawer frame bears against the inner side of the front panel, and, in the coupled state, the retaining parts are situated inside the double-walled frame. The frame is provided with lateral openings through which the couplings can be released using a suitable tool and, hence, the front panel can be removed from the frame.

The object on which the invention is based is to provide a further front panel which is suitable for bathroom and kitchen furniture, for example.

The front panel according to the invention is characterized in that the retaining parts are each provided at a foot end with a laterally projecting adapter plate which is fastened to the inner side of a glass panel by means of an adhesive, which adhesive forms, on an underside of the adapter plate, a layer which is connected with planar contact to the glass panel.

The front panel according to the invention allows the production of a drawer in which the front side is not produced as usual from wood or metal but from glass, wherein the fastening is not visible. The fastening to the frame is also possible in a simple manner using couplings which are known per se. Since the retaining parts are adhesively bonded to the rear side of the glass panel, there is no need to drill this glass panel for fastening purposes, thereby substantially simplifying the manufacture. The glass panel can also be formed as a mirror, for example.

According to one development of the invention, the retaining parts are each provided at the foot end with a flange at which the retaining parts are each screwed to the adapter plate. As an alternative, the retaining parts are each formed in one piece with the associated adapter plate.

According to one development of the invention, the adapter plate in each case projects on all sides beyond the retaining part at the foot end. Consequently, a comparatively large adhesive surface can be achieved. It is then possible for this adhesive surface to be connected particularly firmly to the glass panel if, according to one development of the invention, the adapter plate as seen in plan view is designed to taper conically upward. As a result, the adapter plate can occupy the available space inside the frame. This is particularly the case if, according to one development of the invention, the adapter plate in each case projects substantially more beyond the retaining part in a lower region than in an upper region.

According to one development of the invention, the adhesive is a UV-curable two-component adhesive. This allows a particularly simple and stable connection between the glass panel and the retaining parts.

Further advantageous features will become apparent from the dependent patent claims, from the description which follows and from the drawing.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a portion of the front panel according to the invention as seen from the rear side,

FIG. 2 shows a side view of part of the front panel with a retaining means fastened thereto,

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a front panel according to a variant,

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the front panel as shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the adapter plate of the front panel according to FIGS. 3 and 4, and

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the adapter plate according to FIG. 5.

The front panel 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an inner side 13 to which two retaining parts 4 arranged with mutual spacing are fastened. With the front panel 1 assembled, these two retaining parts 4 are each arranged in a side part of a drawer frame 3, and are hence not visible. Only one of the two side parts of the frame is indicated in FIG. 1 by way of a broken line. The retaining parts 4 are each coupled with a support part, which is not shown here. These support parts are likewise arranged inside the frame 3 and are familiar to a person skilled in the art.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the retaining parts 4 each have a head end 7 and a foot end 6. The foot end 6 has a flange 8 which is screwed to a platform 10 of an adapter plate 9 by means of two fastening screws 5. The platform 10 has corresponding threaded holes for the screws 5. These threaded holes are not visible here.

The adapter plate 9 has a border 9 a at which the adapter plate 9 has a substantially thinner design than in the region of the platform 10. As shown particularly in FIG. 1, this border 9 a extends laterally beyond the retaining part 4. This border 9 a is conically tapered in the upward direction, as can be seen from FIG. 1. The tapering corresponds to the tapering of the corresponding side part of the drawer frame 3. In a lower region, the border 9 a is substantially more prominent than at an upper end, as can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2.

The adapter plate 9 has an underside 11 which is fastened by means of an adhesive 12 to the inner side 13 of a glass panel 2. This adhesive 12 forms a layer which extends over the entire underside 11 of the adapter plate 9. The adapter plate 9 is thus fixedly connected to the inner side 13 of the glass panel 2. The adhesive 12 is preferably a UV- or heat-curing two-component adhesive. Also conceivable here, however, are other adhesives which have sufficient adhesion to glass.

The retaining part 4 and the adapter plate 9 are preferably made of metal, for example of die-cast zinc. Instead of the two-part design, it is also possible for the retaining part 4 to be formed in one piece with the adapter plate 9. The fastening screws 5 are not required in this case. It would likewise be possible in this case to dispense with the platform 10.

The glass panel 2 is generally rectangular, but can also have another shape. It can also be formed as a mirror, for example. In the assembled state, the front side 14 is visible, whereas the retaining parts 4 are only visible when the glass panel 2 is transparent. Of course, handles known per se or the like can be arranged on the front side 14.

The front panel 1′ shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 differs from the above-described front panel 1 in terms of an alternative design of the retaining part 4′. As can be seen, two upwardly projecting fastening parts 15 are arranged with mutual spacing on the adapter plate 9′ and each have a hole 17 made in them for accommodating a fastening screw 5′. Further arranged on the adapter plate 9′ are two side parts 16 which are likewise arranged with mutual spacing and between which the retaining part 4′ is inserted and supported. The fastening screws 5 are each screwed into a flange 8′ and thereby secure the retaining part 4, to the adapter plate 9′. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly secure and stable fastening of the retaining part 4′ on the adapter plate 9′.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 Front panel -   2 Glass panel -   3 Drawer frame -   4 Retaining part -   5 Fastening screw -   6 Foot end -   7 Head end -   8 Flange -   9 Adapter plate -   9 a Border -   10 Platform -   11 Underside -   12 Adhesive -   13 Inner side -   14 Front side -   15 Fastening parts -   16 Side part -   17 Hole 

1. A front panel for a drawer, comprising two retaining parts which are fastened with mutual spacing to the inner side of said panel and which can each be coupled with a support part arranged in a drawer frame, wherein the retaining parts are each provided at a foot end with a laterally projecting adapter plate which is fastened to the inner side of a glass panel by means of an adhesive which, on an underside of the adapter plate (9), forms a layer which is connected with planar contact to the inner side of the glass panel.
 2. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining parts are each provided at a foot end with a flange at which the retaining parts are each screwed to the adapter plate.
 3. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining parts are each formed in one piece with the associated adapter plate.
 4. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter plates each project laterally on one half-side beyond the associated retaining part at the foot end.
 5. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter plates—as seen in plan view are designed to taper conically upward.
 6. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter plates each project substantially more downwardly beyond the associated retaining part in a lower region than they project beyond it in an upper region.
 7. The front panel. as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter plate has a peripheral border.
 8. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass panel is a mirror.
 9. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a two-component adhesive and in particular a UV-curable adhesive.
 10. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein two upwardly projecting fastening parts are arranged with mutual spacing on the adapter plate and each have a hole for accommodating a fastening screw.
 11. The front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein two upwardly projecting side parts are arranged with mutual spacing on the adapter plate. 